Presidential Series – serie

Instant New York Times Bestseller#1 New York Times bestselling author Bret Baier reveals how George Washington saved the Constitution–and the American experiment"To Rescue The Constitution is a masterful exploration of the electrifying struggle to unite a young United States." —Jay WinikA sweeping narrative ranging from the unsettled early American frontier and the battlefields of the Revolution to the history-making clashes within Philadelphia’s Independence Hall, Bret Baier’s To Rescue the Constitution dramatically illuminates the life of George Washington, the essential Founding Father who did more than perhaps any other individual to secure the future of the United States.George Washington rescued the nation three times: first by leading the Continental Army to victory in the Revolutionary War, second by presiding over the Constitutional Convention that set the blueprint for the United States and ushering the Constitution through a fractious ratification process, and third by leading the nation as its first president. In this compelling work of American history, there is no doubt that the struggling new nation needed to be rescued—and that Washington was the only American who could bring them together.After the victorious War of Independence, when a spirit of unity and patriotism might have been expected, instead the nation fractured. The states were no more than a loosely knit and contentious confederation, with no strong central union. It was an urgent matter of nation building that led to the calling of a Constitutional Convention to meet in Philadelphia during the summer of 1787.Setting aside his plan to retire to Mount Vernon, Washington agreed to be a delegate at Philadelphia. There he was unanimously elected president of the convention. After successfully bringing the Constitution into being, Washington then sacrificed any hope of returning to private life by accepting the unanimous election to be the nation’s first president. Washington was not known for brilliant oratory or prose, but his quiet, steady leadership gave life to the Constitution by showing how it should be enacted.In this vivid and moving portrait of early America’s struggles, Baier captures the critical moments when Washington’s leadership brought the nation from the brink of collapse. Baier exposes an early America that is grittier and far more divided than is often portrayed—one we can see reflected in today’s conflicts.This gripping work of narrative nonfiction reveals:A Leader Forged in War: Follow George Washington from the battlefields of the Revolution to the presidency, as he rescues the young nation not once, but three separate times.The Fight for the Constitution: Go inside Philadelphia’s Independence Hall for the history-making clashes and fractious debates that defined the Constitutional Convention and the future of the American experiment.The First Presidency: Discover how Washington’s quiet, steady leadership as the nation's first president gave life to the Constitution, showing a fledgling country how its new government should be enacted.A Nation Divided: Uncover an early America that is grittier and far more divided than often portrayed—a searching look into our past that holds a mirror to the conflicts of today.

New York Times Bestseller“This captivating portrayal of Teddy is Bret Baier’s gift to us. From Roosevelt’s resilience over tragedy to his heroism in war, from his midnight rambles as police commissioner to his dramatic fights for reform as governor and president, Baier summons the irrepressible spirit of the man. What an engaging storyteller! What a joy to read!” —Doris Kearns GoodwinFrom #1 bestselling author and Fox News Channel’s Chief Political Anchor, a fresh and fascinating exploration of the extraordinary life of Teddy Roosevelt, revealing how his bold leadership thrust America onto the world stage and changed the course of world history."As Bret Baier shows in this wonderfully readable biography, Theodore Roosevelt has many lessons for today." —Walter IsaacsonThere has never been an American life like Theodore Roosevelt’s. An iconoclast who embodied the energy and bursting potential of the young nation he led, “Teddy” seemed ripped from the pages of an adventure novel. A partial list of his titles include: Gilded Age aristocrat, Dakota rancher, Rough Rider, New York City police commissioner, African big-game hunter, South American explorer, Nobel Peace Prize winner, and president of the United States. His lasting legacy, Bret Baier reveals in this magnificent new biography, is that Roosevelt revitalized the American spirit—challenging the status quo at home, confidently thrusting the nation onto the international stage, and forever transforming America’s place in the world.

New York Times Bestseller“This captivating portrayal of Teddy is Bret Baier’s gift to us. From Roosevelt’s resilience over tragedy to his heroism in war, from his midnight rambles as police commissioner to his dramatic fights for reform as governor and president, Baier summons the irrepressible spirit of the man. What an engaging storyteller! What a joy to read!” —Doris Kearns GoodwinFrom #1 bestselling author and Fox News Channel’s Chief Political Anchor, a fresh and fascinating exploration of the extraordinary life of Teddy Roosevelt, revealing how his bold leadership thrust America onto the world stage and changed the course of world history."As Bret Baier shows in this wonderfully readable biography, Theodore Roosevelt has many lessons for today." —Walter IsaacsonThere has never been an American life like Theodore Roosevelt’s. An iconoclast who embodied the energy and bursting potential of the young nation he led, “Teddy” seemed ripped from the pages of an adventure novel. A partial list of his titles include: Gilded Age aristocrat, Dakota rancher, Rough Rider, New York City police commissioner, African big-game hunter, South American explorer, Nobel Peace Prize winner, and president of the United States. His lasting legacy, Bret Baier reveals in this magnificent new biography, is that Roosevelt revitalized the American spirit—challenging the status quo at home, confidently thrusting the nation onto the international stage, and forever transforming America’s place in the world.

Volume three of the Presidential Series continues the fourth chronological series of ""The Papers of George Washington"". The Presidential Series when complete, will aim to cover the eight precedent-setting years of Washington's presidency and his brief retirement at Mount Vernon until his death in 1799. These volumes deal with the public papers either written by Washington or presented to him during both of his administrations. Among the documents are Washington's messages to Congress, addresses to him from public office and documents concerned with diplomatic and Indian affairs as well as Washington's private papers which include family letters, farm reports, political letters from friends and acquaintances, and documents relating to the administration of the Mount Vernon plantation. Volume three covers most of the summer of 1789 and focuses primarily on the problems facing the new administration. Because of the president's serious illness during this period, a larger proportion of the documents than previously are letters and papers sent to Washington, including massive reports from the Board of Treasury describing the financial status of the new nation, detailed descriptions of Indian and military affairs from Henry Knox, and a plethora of applications for public office. The letters to Washington come from a cross section of Americans and present a resource on such diverse topics as foreign affairs, overseas trade and public attitudes toward the new government. Washington in these months was establishing the great departments of the federal government, and he devoted a considerable amount of his time to appointments and to the staffing of the new civil service.

The twelve-month period covered in this 3rd volume of the ""Presidential Series"" was dominated by foreign policy concerns, as James Madison sought ways to compel Great Britain to respect America's neutral rights.

This volume of the papers of George Washington covers the period when his attention was devoted to several matters of national significance: the Residence and Funding Acts; Indian affairs; Harmar's expedition in the Northwest Territory; and intrigues of foreign agents on America's frontiers.

This volume presents documents written during the final sessions of the First Congress. Congress passed legislation that established a national bank and federal excise, and increased the size of the army. Washington also gave a lot of time to the new federal city on the Potomac.

This volume of James Madison's papers covers events in his first administration, from November 1811 to July 1812. Two important presidential decisions buttress it: his advocacy of preparedness in November 1811 and his request in June 1812 that Congress consider his case for war against Britain.

Volume 11, which covers the closing months of Washington's first presidential term, opens with Washington at Mount Vernon, tending to both public and private affairs. The implementation of a federal excise tax on domestically produced whiskey provoked opposition that became violent in western Pennsylvania, eliciting Washington's proclamation of 15 September 1792 that called for U.S. citizens to comply peacefully with the law. Returning to Philadelphia in October 1792 for the second session of the Second Congress, Washington encountered a continuing variety of challenges during the fall and early winter. Preparations for war with several of the Indian nations in the Northwest Territory intensified under the leadership of General Anthony Wayne. At the same time, the federal government sponsored a number of peace initiatives to the hostile Indians and attempted to enlist the Iroquois and other Indians as intermediaries in the peace process. Washington also faced problems with Indians in the Southwest Territory and on the frontiers of the southern states who were deeply angered by American incursions on their lands, a hostility that Washington and other American officials believed was encouraged by Spanish agents among the Indians. Washington deplored the growing political factionalism within the United States. He attempted to assuage the increasingly bitter political differences between Alexander Hamilton and Thomas Jefferson, and he also urged Jefferson to delay his resignation as secretary of state. Although Washington continued to long for retirement and a permanent return to Mount Vernon, he reluctantly agreed to serve a second term as president after assuring himself that the public mood of the country favored his staying in office and that his leadership was essential to the success of the new government. The continuing revolution in France and the abolition of the French monarchy provoked a reevaluation of U.S.-French relations by Washington and his cabinet. The current war in Europe, moreover, mandated careful monitoring as Washington sought to maintain the neutral position of the United States. Finally, Washington continued to direct the development of the Federal City and to oversee the management of his estate at Mount Vernon.

Volume 12 of the Presidential Series continues the fourth chronological series of The Papers of George Washington. The Presidential Series, when complete, will cover the eight precedent-setting years of Washington's presidency. This series includes the public papers written by or presented to Washington during his two administrations. Among the documents are Washington's messages to Congress, addresses from public and private bodies, applications for office and letters of recommendation, and documents concerning diplomatic and Indian affairs. Also included are Washington's private papers, consisting of family correspondence, letters to and from friends and acquaintances, and documents relating to the administration of his Mount Vernon plantation and the management of the presidential household. In the period covered by volume 12, mid-January through May 1793, Washington completed his first term as president and began his second term with a modest inauguration ceremony. Washington continued his efforts to keep the United States out of the expanding European war between France and a coalition that now included Great Britain. The behavior of Edmond Genet, the new French minister to the United States, and the presence of French privateers in American waters intensified disagreement among Americans over U.S. foreign policy, especially American obligations under its treaties with France. After extensive consultation with the cabinet, Washington issued a neutrality proclamation in April, but this did little to quell the debate. While the administration made arrangements for a forth-coming peace treaty at Lower Sandusky with the Indians of the Northwest Territory, the U.S. Army under General Anthony Wayne prepared for an Indian war. In addition, Washington monitored the development of the Federal District. He intervened in a dispute between the commissioners for the District of Columbia and their chief surveyor, Andrew Ellicott, and approved the architectural plans for the U.S. Capitol. As always, the president tended to his private financial affairs and the management of his farms at Mount Vernon, a task made more difficult by the death of his nephew and estate manager, George Augustine Washington.

Volume 15 documents the period from 1 January through 30 April 1794, a time when Washington continued to focus his efforts as president on preventing the United States from becoming entangled in the continuing war between France and Great Britain. Of particular concern was French and British interference with American shipping, despite claims of neutral rights by the United States. Congress reacted to this problem in late March by declaring a thirty-day embargo on all ships and vessels in American ports, and the Washington administration enforced this resolution, as well as a series of earlier Cabinet decisions regarding the presence of foreign privateers and their prizes in American ports. The threat of U.S. involvement in the war led Congress to pass legislation designed to increase the military strength of the United States. As a result, Washington and Secretary of War Henry Knox directed the construction of coastal fortifications, the establishment of federal armories, and the creation of an American navy. The European war also produced an exodus of refugees to the United States from the French colony of Saint Domingue and a subsequent federal program of monetary relief, which the administration oversaw. The question of neutral rights, the threat of an Indian war in the Northwest Territory, British retention of military posts in American territory, and a desire for a favorable trade agreement prompted Washington to appoint John Jay as envoy extraordinary to Great Britain in order to resolve these issues. At the same time, other U.S. diplomats continued their efforts to reach an understanding with Spain over the right of free navigation of the Mississippi River by Americans, Indian unrest in the Southwest Territory, and the boundary between Georgia and Florida, as well as to obtain a commercial treaty between the two nations. In an effort to manage his Mount Vernon farms while residing in Philadelphia, Washington regularly sent detailed instructions to William Pearce, his newly hired estate manager. Of particular concern were the implementation of a five-year plan of crop rotation designed by Washington in 1793 and the acquisition of a sufficient supply of buckwheat and other seed for spring planting. Washington continued to be a benevolent benefactor for his extended family, particularly his sister, Betty Washington Lewis, and his orphaned niece, Harriot Washington. He also directed the refurbishment of his house in Alexandria, Va., for Frances Bassett Washington, the widow of his nephew George Augustine Washington, and he made arrangements to purchase lots in the new Federal City.

The Papers of James Madison project, housed at the University of Virginia, was established in 1956 to publish annotated volumes of the correspondence and writings of James Madison, the Virginia statesman most often remembered for his public service as ""Father of the Constitution"" and as fourth president of the United States. The published volumes provide accurate texts of Madison's incoming and outgoing correspondence, informative notes on textual and subject matters, and comprehensive indexes. They are incomparably rich sources for students of Madison's life and valuable research tools for those interested in the general history of the period in which Madison lived (1751-1836). The project has collected more than 27,000 copies of documents related to Madison's life, including letters, essays, notes, diaries, account books, ledgers, wills, legal papers, and inventories. The project serves the public by translating into print these decaying and often nearly illegible manuscripts, thereby preserving them for future generations and making them easier to use. The published volumes also make the contents of Madison related documents, the originals of which are housed in some 250 archives worldwide, easily accessible to libraries and interested individuals anywhere books travel. The Presidential Series,covering the years 1809 to early 1817, centres largely on Madison's record as commander-in-chief during the War of 1812, the first full-scale conflict to be waged under the U.S. Constitution of 1787. Madison's correspondence as president deals with a particularly wide range of concerns - national politics, international diplomacy and war, Indian affairs, the construction of the nation's capital, even petitions from ordinary citizens for charity and mercy - to which Madison responded.

Volume 8 of the Presidential Series covers the suspense-filled final months of the War of 1812, as Madison awaited the outcome of peace negotiations at Ghent while defending the country against British invasion, warding off government bankruptcy, and preparing to meet armed resistance in New England. The British burned the Capitol, the President's House, and other buildings in Washington and occupied eastern Maine in the following months, but American forces thwarted attacks on Baltimore, Plattsburgh, and New Orleans. Along with Alexander J. Dallas, Madison's new secretary of the Treasury, Madison crafted a defense of the American position designed to promote U.S. alliances and fundraising in Europe and to rally support at home. The volume closes with Madison receiving a copy of the Treaty of Ghent on 14 February 1815 and delivering the peace proclamation to an astounded and joyous nation. Access to people, places, and events of the period is facilitated by detailed annotation and a comprehensive index.

Throughout volume 20 of the Presidential Series, George Washington looked forward to retirement from public life, preparing a farewell address to announce his intention and leave behind guiding principles for the nation. Relations with Great Britain and France dominated foreign policy, as the House of Representatives agreed to implement the provisions of the Jay Treaty and as the president responded to a looming diplomatic crisis by recalling James Monroe, U.S. minister to France. Washington also remained involved with his private affairs, taking pains to retrieve Martha Washington's runaway slave Ona (Oney) Judge, actions that did not square easily with aspirations expressed in his farewell address regarding "the happiness of the people of these States, under the auspices of liberty.

The concluding volume of the Presidential Series begins following the publication of Washington's Farewell Address, which was circulated widely in newspapers and drew reactions from citizens across the nation. With his approaching retirement from the presidency, Washington tended to a number of domestic and international issues, including his final annual message to Congress, ongoing Indian affairs, the growing acrimony between the United States and France about the Jay Treaty and U.S. neutrality policy, and diplomacy with the dey of Algiers and other Barbary powers. In his personal life, Washington corresponded with his farm managers, continued his unsuccessful pursuit of runaway slave Oney Judge, mentored George Washington Parke Custis as he began his studies at the College of New Jersey, and renounced spurious letters that first appeared in print during the Revolutionary War as forgeries, requesting that his statement "be deposited in the office of the department of state, as a testimony of the truth to the present generation and to posterity.